


Thicker than Blood

by Siver



Category: The Legend of Heroes: Ao no Kiseki, 英雄伝説 VII | The Legend of Heroes VII (Video Games)
Genre: Family, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-20
Updated: 2019-05-20
Packaged: 2020-03-08 00:45:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,363
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18884668
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Siver/pseuds/Siver
Summary: After the Trade Conference they go home, but what is home and where is his place?





	Thicker than Blood

**Author's Note:**

> They all needs hugs honestly

"Let's go home," Lloyd had said. 

It was getting late. The conference was over. There was a lot to take in, too much. The questions and worries could be read in all their faces, but Randy's thoughts continued to cycle back to the large underground room, screams, gunfire, blood. Nothing new there. 

It was time to go...

Home...

But not for everyone yet it seemed. Wazy stretched and started to veer off. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Lloyd stopped. “What are you talking about?”

“After Crois’s announcement I can only imagine the clubs,” Wazy said with a smile. “How could I pass up this opportunity? You’re welcome to join me of course.”

Lloyd gave him a disbelieving look and shook his head. Wazy shrugged and turned with a wave. For a moment Randy was tempted to take Wazy up on that offer, but he found himself staying in place.

Noel shifted uncomfortably. “Actually, I think I’ll see you tomorrow as well. I want to make sure mom’s okay and Fran will be home soon too. I’ll be back early tomorrow morning,” she added quickly.

“Okay, be careful,” Lloyd said, and Randy noted the worry in his eyes. He’d have to watch that.

“Good night,” Elie added.

Noel walked quickly away, leaving the four to themselves. With an exchanged glance they moved on in silent agreement. As the group approached the Special Support building, shoulders slumped with weariness and voices quiet when anything was said, Randy stared at the building. Home. It was a nice thought. 

He tried to ignore the glances he knew Lloyd and Elie were throwing him. They worried too much. He was fine; why shouldn’t he be? He was _used_ to this. They ought to worry about themselves and Tio. She was still quiet and distant. He’d seen the pain and fear in her face when they grew close to that room, that execution chamber. After everything she’d gone through herself what else could they expect? His was a world none of them had a place in; today proved that in blood.

And his place? He ignored the thought to suddenly bound ahead so he could open the door for the others. 

"Ladies first," he said brightly, holding the door open. 

Tio passed him a stare but entered without comment followed by Elie and Lloyd. Randy waited at the door—any moment...

"Lloyd! Elie, Tio!" 

Randy relaxed against the door as KeA ran in with Zeit following at a sedate pace behind and made a beeline for Lloyd. He waited until they were all wrapped up in each other, KeA tightly hugging each in turn, her voice ringing out with questions and exclamations. She was so glad they were back. They all looked so tired. Was everyone okay?

Randy slipped away from the door and started toward the stairs. 

“Randy!”

There really was no escaping her. He spun around replacing a grimace with a bright smile and opened his arms without a second thought. “Hey Keddo.”

She flung herself at him, wrapping her arms around his waist. He froze. What was he doing? He shouldn't welcome this. There had been so much blood. Blood on his hands too. More than she could know, more than she was allowed to ever know. She shouldn’t be doing this. He shouldn’t. He knew better. Keep her safe. From _everyone_.

Lloyd caught his eye and he flashed him a grin before looking away. Keep it quick before he let anything show. He returned KeA’s hug and dropped his gaze to the cloud of her hair. She was innocent, safe from all of that. One way or another he’d see she remain safe.

She squeaked when he inadvertently tightened his hold, but before he could loosen it she only squeezed harder and looked up at him with wide eyes.

“Are you sad too?”

Sad? He was angry. He was disgusted. Was he sad?

“Don’t let these long faces worry you!” Randy said. “Your papa’s got more energy than any of ‘em.”

And if he held on a little too long no one commented. When they did finally release each other, KeA was all smiles.

“KeA will make dinner!” she announced. She looked around, worry flickering in her eyes. "What about the others? Is uncle Sergei coming?"

Elie and Lloyd exchanged a glance. "They’ll be back tomorrow,” Lloyd said. “The chief’s not sure when he'll be back. We'll have to go without him tonight."

"Hmm... okay! KeA will make sure there's lots, so he has something to come home to!"

“I’ll help,” Elie said with a small smile.

“Food from Keddo and Milady? We are in for a treat.” Randy feigned a large yawn. “I’ll be back down when it’s ready.”

He made for the stairs after KeA and Elie disappeared into the kitchen and Tio settled onto the couch by Zeit, burying her fingers in his fur—good, the wolf would look after her. He didn’t get far before Lloyd spoke. No escape from him either, was there?

“Randy. Are you okay?”

“Just goin’ for a power nap before dinner. Gotta be rested if I’m not going to be an embarrassment tonight.”

“You can’t be thinking of going out.”

Randy shrugged, mid-step up the stairs. “Always good to unwind after a battle. You should think about a nap yourself.”

“I don’t think I could sleep if I wanted to right now,” Lloyd said. “I’ll be fine here.”

Neither could he, but who was he to avoid convenience and so he trotted up the stairs with all the energy he couldn’t feel.

 

Randy leaned back against his room door with a slow exhale. Damn it all. His eyes traced over his room, the bottle on his table, the dart board he'd scooped a few months back, the jukebox just recently, all the little, lived-in things that made this place his. That made it feel... Damn it all. It had all gotten too easy. It was too easy to get comfortable, to act like he actually belonged here, like he was really any different from those monsters.

He dragged himself to his bed and slumped onto the side. And there was Lloyd asking if _he_ was okay. He was fine; wasn't that the problem? Lloyd didn't need to see that. He didn't need to know any of that. None of them did. He flopped back to stare at the ceiling. Maybe he should stay, 'nap' through dinner. He could slip out later tonight, go to the casino, play a few rounds. Drink. Forget all this for a little while. A sound plan. They might not even question it. He closed his eyes.

A knock sounded. "Randy!"

Randy sat up blinking. Maybe he hadn't needed to fake a nap after all.

"Are you there?" KeA's voice came from behind the door. "It's ready!"

Feign sleep and avoid them. That was the plan. Yet her voice seemed to have its own power and his limbs took over. Before he could second guess himself, he found himself joining KeA in the hall to go back down and he returned the grin she gave him as she took her seat at the dinner table.

He couldn’t say it was exactly cheerful talk around the table, but they made the effort for their daugh—No. He gave a bitter smile into his cup. After all of that how could he call her family? How could he call any of them family?

He glanced around the table. If you didn’t look closely it’d be easy to think nothing was wrong as they listened and talked with KeA, her chatter a welcome sound against the memories of this day's horrors. There was a tension around Elie’s eyes, but she spoke easily and prompted KeA along. Tio seemed distant yet always ready with a quick response. Lloyd glanced around them regularly as if to check on them all—the guy needed to learn how take a break—but his attention always returned to KeA.

They were... not his family, but maybe something close and with a bright remark Randy jumped into the conversation. They couldn't be his family, but for this short while he could pretend.


End file.
